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Veteran Charles Trask
& Summit
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| Charles Trask is a U.S. Navy veteran who volunteered to serve in-country in Vietnam in 1968. Although Charles left the service physically unharmed and went on to become a Salvation Army minister, he was diagnosed 37 years later with delayed onset PTSD and is now retired and 100% disabled. Charles became a recluse and was unable to deal with anyone or anything, including his wife Toni, until receiving Summit in May, 2011.
According to Charles, “Summit has given me a reason for being.” The responsibility of caring for her gets him up and out of the house. When Charles suffers from a flashback, Summit senses it and nuzzles him to redirect his attention to her, and when he has a nightmare, she licks his face to wake him up. Charles uses a cane to walk, so Summit gets the phone for him, picks up dropped items, carries notes to Toni and performs many other tasks to make his life easier. Charles must take a number of prescription medications but says that “Summit is the best medicine of all.” |
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Non-Veteran,
Layla Sauer
& Rockxi |
Layla is a young college student who, like all college students, is working hard to earn a degree; however, Layla is doing it from a wheelchair.
Layla suffers from cerebral palsy and contacted Patriot PAWS for a service dog to help her. Help came in the form of a black Lab named Rockxi. Rockxi assists Layla with transferring to and from her wheelchair, opening doors, picking up dropped items and countless other things that are difficult or even impossible to do from a wheelchair. Rockxi has also given Layla confidence in her abilities by lessening the impact of her disability. Now that she has Rockxi, Layla is more socially active, has gotten a new car and is planning to move out of the dorm soon to a place of her own which will allow her to achieve a previously unattainable level of independence.
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